ALVECHURCH, a parish, forming a detached portion
of the middle division of the hundred of OSWALDSLOW,
locally in the upper division of the hundred of
Halfshire, county of WORCESTER, 4 miles (B. N. E.)
from Bromsgrove, containing 1413 inhabitants. The
living is a rectory, in. the peculiar jurisdiction of the
Incumbent, rated in the king's books at £24. 16. 8.,
and in the patronage of the Bishop of Worcester. The
church, dedicated to St. Lawrence, has Norman pillars;
but the chancel displays the early English style, and the
tower is more modern. The Bishops of Worcester had
a palace here so early as the reign of Henry II., which,
after the sale of the manor by the parliament, in 1648,
was suffered to fall to decay, and has now entirely
disappeared. An hospital for nine persons was incorporated
by Queen Elizabeth. The Birmingham and
Worcester canal runs through the parish. Fairs for
cattle and sheep are held on the 22nd of April and the
10th of August. In 1742, Dr. Worth bequeathed
£138. 2. 2., now producing £16 per annum, for the
establishment of a free school. The Roman Iknieldstreet
passed through Alvechurch, in its course from
Alcester towards Lichfield. The learned Dr. Hickes,
author of the Thesaurus Septentrionalium Linguarum,
held the rectory of this parish.